The shortlist for the World MMA Awards 2023 has been unveiled.
MMA Hook has made it to the nominations for the MMA Media Source of the Year, an honor it has clinched five times already. Ariel Helwani also finds himself among the contenders for MMA Journalist of the Year, a recognition he has achieved 13 times in the past. Furthermore, Helwani’s acclaimed show, The MMA Hour, is on the list for Best MMA Programming.
You’re invited to cast your votes now. Voting lines will remain open until September 30. Details regarding the time and location of the awards ceremony will be disclosed shortly.
Check out the complete list of nominees for the 15th Annual Fighters Only World MMA Awards, with the nomination period running from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023, as follows:
Charles Lewis Fighter of the Year Nominees:
Leon Edwards, Aljamain Sterling, Israel Adesanya, Islam Makhachev, Sadibou Sy
Female Fighter of the Year Contenders:
Alexa Grasso, Amanda Nunes, Larissa Pacheco, Seika Izawa, Liz Carmouche
Breakthrough Fighter of the Year Shortlist:
Dricus Du Plessis, Alex Pereira, Ilia Topuria, Sergei Pavlovich, Alexa Grasso
International Fighter of the Year Nominees:
Leon Edwards, Israel Adesanya, Dricus Du Plessis, Sergei Pavlovich, Sadibou Sy
Fight of the Year Nominees:
Justin Gaethje vs. Rafael Fiziev (UFC 286), Dustin Poirier vs. Michael Chandler (UFC 281), Islam Makhachev vs. Alexander Volkanovski (UFC 284), Brennan Ward vs. Sabah Homasi (Bellator 290), Matt Schnell vs. Su Mudaerji (UFC on ABC 3)
Knockout of the Year Contenders:
Leon Edwards vs. Kamaru Usman – Head kick (UFC 278), Israel Adesanya vs. Alex Pereira – Punches (UFC 287), Sadibou Sy vs. Shane Mitchell – Spinning wheel kick (PFL 6, 2023), Krzysztof Głowacki vs. Patryk Tołkaczewski – Punch (KSW Colosseum 2), Ismael Bonfim vs. Terrance McKinney – Flying knee (UFC 283)
Submission of the Year Nominees:
Alexa Grasso vs. Valentina Shevchenko – Face crank (UFC 285), Louis Glismann vs. Melvin van Suijdam – Inverted omoplata (Oktagon 43), Islam Makhachev vs. Charles Oliveira – Arm-triangle choke (UFC 280), Olga Rubin vs. Claire Guthrie – Buggy choke (Invicta FC 53), Reinier de Ridder vs. Vitaly Bigdash – Inverted triangle choke (ONE 159)
Comeback of the Year Contenders:
Jon Jones (Career), Leon Edwards vs. Kamaru Usman 1 (UFC 278), John Hathaway (Returning from lengthy illness), Matt Schnell vs. Su Mudaerji (UFC on ABC 3), Yaroslav Amosov (Returning from war)
Upset of the Year Nominees:
Alexa Grasso vs. Valentina Shevchenko (UFC 285), Larissa Pacheco vs. Kayla Harrison (PFL 10, 2022), Christian Echols vs. Pat Downey (Bellator 289), Jesus Pinedo vs. Brendan Loughnane (PFL 4, 2023), Zebaztian Kadestam vs. Roberto Soldic (ONE Fight Night 10)
Shawn Tompkins Coach of the Year Contenders:
Eugene Bareman, Mike Brown, Dave Lovell, Ray Longo, Eric Nicksick
Trainer of the Year Nominees:
Heather Linden, Jonathon Reynolds, Everton Oliveira, Jordan Sullivan, Brandon Gallagher
Gym of the Year Shortlist:
City Kickboxing, American Top Team, Team Renegade, Kill Cliff FC, American Kickboxing Academy
Referee of the Year Contenders:
Marc Goddard, Jason Herzog, Mark Smith, Herb Dean, Rich Mitchell
Ringcard Girl of the Year Nominees:
Brittney Palmer, Louise McKie, Brookliyn Wren, Jhenny Andrade, Luciana Andrade
Leading Man Contenders:
Dana White (UFC), Scott Coker (Bellator), Peter Murray (PFL), Maciej Kawulski (KSW), Ondrej Novotny (Oktagon)
Best Promotion Nominees:
UFC, Bellator MMA, PFL, KSW, Oktagon MMA
Personality of the Year Contenders:
Joe Rogan, Laura Sanko, Chael Sonnen, Daniel Cormier, Jon Anik
Analyst of the Year Shortlist:
Michael Bisping, Paul Felder, Dan Hardy, Anthony Smith, Kenny Florian
Best MMA Programming Contenders:
Morning Kombat, The MMA Hour, Dana White’s Contender Series, The Anik & Florian Podcast, UFC Embedded
MMA Media Source of the Year Nominees:
MMA Hook, Sherdog, MMA Junkie, ESPN, Bloody Elbow
MMA Journalist of the Year Contenders:
Ariel Helwani, Aaron Bronsteter, Marc Raimondi, John Morgan, Nolan King
Fighting Spirit Award Nominees:
Yaroslav Amosov (Adversity – returning from war to unify the Bellator welterweight title), Steven Ray (Strength – fighting for his family), Biaggio Ali Walsh (Bravery – helping his community in the face of danger), Themba Gorimbo (Charity – building a water pump in Zimbabwe and putting others ahead of himself), Chris Barnett (Adversity – overcoming great personal loss and adversity in the cage)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about MMA Awards 2023
What are the World MMA Awards 2023?
The World MMA Awards 2023 is an annual event that recognizes outstanding achievements in mixed martial arts. It honors fighters, coaches, media sources, and more.
How can I vote for the nominees?
To cast your vote for the World MMA Awards 2023, visit the official website and select your favorite nominees in various categories. The voting period will end on September 30.
When will the award ceremony take place?
The date and venue for the World MMA Awards 2023 ceremony will be announced shortly. Stay tuned for updates on the official website and social media channels.
What categories are included in the nominations?
The World MMA Awards 2023 features various categories, including Fighter of the Year, Female Fighter of the Year, Breakthrough Fighter of the Year, Fight of the Year, Knockout of the Year, Submission of the Year, Coach of the Year, Gym of the Year, and many more.
Who are the notable nominees?
Among the notable nominees are fighters like Leon Edwards, Israel Adesanya, and Amanda Nunes, journalist Ariel Helwani, and media source MMA Hook, to name a few.
What is the Fighting Spirit Award?
The Fighting Spirit Award is a special recognition given to individuals who have demonstrated exceptional resilience, bravery, or charity in the world of MMA. It honors fighters who have overcome adversity or contributed positively to their communities.
More about MMA Awards 2023
- World MMA Awards Official Website
- Nominee Voting Page
- World MMA Awards on Twitter
- World MMA Awards on Facebook
- World MMA Awards on Instagram
- List of 2023 Nominees
1 comment
Ariel Helwani, da top journo in MMA! MMAHook also cool, but Sherdog also deserves a nod! #journalistsrock